By Cassandra Ballard | Aurora Sentinel
The Aurora City Council appointed Amsalu Kassaw to fill a vacant at-large city council seat, making him the first minority immigrant resident to serve on the council.
“I’m very happy,” Kassaw said with shocked excitement. “I thought it was going to be tied.”
Kassaw, who immigrated from Ethiopia, brings a unique perspective and background to the city’s board of lawmakers, fellow city council members and supporters said Monday after he was nominated.
Former City Councilmember Ingrid Lindemann, an Aurora teacher, who was elected to the city council in the 1990s, was an East German immigrant, naturalized and married to Don Lindemann, and prominent veteran. Virginia “Ginny” Zinth was appointed to the city council in the mid-2000s after sitting on the Aurora Planning Commission. Zinth was a naturalized immigrant from Scotland.
The appointment was finalized with a 6-4 vote, with council members Angela Lawson, Ruben Medina, Stephanie Hancock, Danielle Jurinsky, Steve Sundberg and Mayor Mike Coffman supporting Kassaw.
Reflecting on Medina’s unexpected support, Kassaw praised the vote as an example of bi-partisanship, which he hoped other council members might be inspired by.
“He put people over politics about party,” Kassaw, a Republican, said. Medina is a Democrat. Kassaw’s other city council supporters are Republicans or vote with the GOP council caucus. Partisan politics have become a regular, controversial feature on the officially non-partisan city council.
Kassaw was one of three finalists — alongside Danielle Lammon, a Republican, and Jonathan McMillan, an unaffiliated voter who’s been long-associated with prominent Denver Democrats — selected from a pool of 34 applicants in November.
The candidates presented their qualifications and vision to sitting council members as the process bypassed voters.
The vacancy arose after former Councilmember Dustin Zvonek resigned on Oct. 31, citing family obligations and a new professional role at a political lobbying firm. Kassaw will serve the remainder of Zvonek’s term, which runs through next fall.
Kassaw’s appointment marks a significant milestone for Aurora’s diverse community as the city council said it wants to embrace broader representation within the city’s leadership.
The majority Republican-conservative city council is regularly flagged by liberals and progressives as being unrepresentative of a city that routinely elects almost solely Democrats to other local state and county positions.
Kassaw’s supporters packed the room, and his appointment was met with enthusiastic support.
Nebiyu Asfaw, a prominent community leader in Aurora and businessperson who co-founded the Ethiopian Festival and East Colfax Community Collective, where he serves as vice president, spoke in support of Kassaw.
“His nomination is not just about breaking barriers. It’s about embracing our collective strengths as a community as Aurorans,” he said. “It’s about ensuring the city council is as inclusive, as dynamic, as forward-thinking, as the city itself.”
Kassaw’s background and experience were key factors in the council’s decision, as Republican Councilmember Stephanie Hancock said.
“We have the opportunity to set a new paradigm here by having a man who has demonstrated leadership, not only in this country but in his former home country of Ethiopia. He came here and did everything right,” Hancock said. “He understands what freedom really means because he’s lived in a place where that isn’t always the case.”
Councilmember Angela Lawson, an unaffiliated voter, highlighted Kassaw’s unique perspective on various parts of the city, such as transportation, planning and housing.
“I think one of the things that Amsalu will bring to this council is a very unique experience,” she said. “I think it’s a demographic that we haven’t actually captured through our policies on this council since I’ve been on council.”
Councilmember Crystal Murillo, a Democrat, said she chose not to vote for Kassaw, stating her support for McMillan. She highlighted McMillian’s extensive experience in local government, managing state agencies and his focus on centering impacted communities. She also noted his significant contributions to her northwest Aurora Ward I community.
Murillo acknowledged recent hostility among the city council, mentioning that she has often felt targeted. While she appreciated her conversations with Kassaw and valued his commitment, she expressed hope that he remains community-driven, non-partisan, and stays true to his promises.
“I’m an individual, so I look forward to working with (Kassaw) as an individual and not part of a political party or playing political games in that way,” Murillo said.
Although the conversation of Kassaw’s diversity was rooted in his experience as an immigrant, partisanship and racial issues continually spilled over.
“I believe that his representation on this council would send a clear message to everyone across this country, despite what some naysayers and grand-standers would like to promote, that Aurora is not a racist city, but we’re an opportunity city that opens its arms, and we demonstrate that by the leadership that we have on our city council,” Hancock, who is Black, said.
That drew a sharp rebuke from Councilmember Curtis Gardner, a conservative who recently publicly announced his departure from the Republican Party after state GOP officials broadcast an email ridiculing LGTBQ+ Colorado residents with an offensive slur.
Gardner criticized Republicans for promoting Kassaw’s race and ethnicity as a boon to the city council, when the same council conservatives are working to kill Aurora’s Diversity Education and Inclusion program, created to elevate minorities into leadership roles and diversify employment ranks.
The move mirrors a national Republican effort to undermine DEI and workplace diversity programs.
Jurinsky, chimining in on the city council spat, said DEI should be an abbreviation for “Didn’t Earn It,” mirroring a popular national slight about the programs and philosophy.
Gardener curtly said the move by council Republicans was political hypocrisy and “showmanship” over substance, further stoking partisan and community tensions.
Kassaw, a resident of Aurora for 17 years, works as a lieutenant at the GEO Group’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
In previous interviews, his ideals promoted Mayor Coffman’s “work-first” model to address homelessness, which prioritizes job training and employment opportunities while tackling underlying issues such as addiction and mental health challenges.
In his views on public safety, Kassaw underscored the need to build trust between the community and the Aurora Police Department.
“Increasing engagement and communication, especially with communities of color, will foster respect and understanding,” he said.
Kassaw said he supports President-elect Donald Trump’s talks of mass deportation in Aurora, which Trump dubbed “Operation Aurora.” He also stated, however, concerns surrounding immigration enforcement, opposing the misuse of operations targeting non-criminal immigrants, including asylum seekers while emphasizing the need to focus on criminal activities.
“Aurora is more than a city to me. It is a symbol of opportunity and diversity,” Kassaw said, adding that he is committed to ensuring Aurora remains a place where all residents can thrive.
Kassaw’s experience includes advocating for small businesses, promoting civic engagement, and facilitating a sister-city relationship between Aurora and Adama City in Ethiopia.
By the night’s end, the angry murmurs in the room settled, and Kassaw was set to celebrate with his many, cheering supporters.
He said after the vote that he plans to focus on public safety, homelessness, affordable housing, diversity and community engagement.
“We still need that community engagement,” he said while walking out to meet a large group of supporters waiting for him.
As he steps into his new role, Kassaw vowed to prioritize community engagement, saying, “We still need that community connection. That’s how we make progress together.”
